Quest Longboards – Okay for a Beginner?

We all have to start somewhere…

I remember my first board being a cruiser I bought online . I have other boards now but that first one made all the difference for me. It was affordable, decent quality and let me do my thing – SKATE! I appreciate it because it got me where I am today. Quest is a brand that helps facilitate that experience. They make great beginner boards at affordable prices. They have been around for awhile and seem to have a handle on it.

This is my quest longboards review and I talk about their boards and why you can trust them.

Quest are USA based brand. With their “Quest” being to help people the achieve whatever experience they want onboard. These guys also make surf and snowboards. So you know they’ll understand how to make a longboard feel surfy.

Quest Zera Dark 40

This board is Quests downhill offering to the world. Its a great beginnner boards for those looking into cruising. The board is super stable at 40in long and 10in wide.

It utilises 7 plys (layers of wood) of maple for sturdiness and strength.

They have opted to make this board drop through, increasing its stability, how easy it is to push around and footbreak. The wheel cutouts also prevent wheelbite, which can throw you off your board. Abec 7 bearings aren’t the fastest on the market. The wheels are 70mm and 51mm wide, making them great for riding on most terrain. You wont slip on these when taking tight turns as you cruise.

Though the length of the board contributes to stability, it doesn’t have the greatest turning radius. And when you first get it, be sure to loosen the trucks. They are usually tight from the factory. However, for the price, this is a great beginner board. It can be used for simply cruising to freeriding and downhill. You will have an easier time learning how to longboard with this board. Its features are suited towards beginners.

What's to like:

Great board for heavier riders

Wallet friendly price

Super stable and sold beneath feet

Lightweight

What's Not To Like

A bit large at 40in

Slow bearings

Quest California Republic Native Spirit

This is a drop down longboard from Quest featuring a stylish engraving of a bear. This board would look so at home cruising on Venice beach. This board uses 7plys of maple to provide a solid platform. The drop down makes it super easy to push, footbreak and stable. However, this also makes it less responsive and maneuverable.

Fortunately, the board has 7 inch aluminum trucks that are both strong and turn really well. The board features wheel cutouts so you don’t get wheelbite (and get thrown off your board). Wheelbite sucks! The wheels are 70mm tall and 51mm wide and they have abec 7 bearings in them. For some, this board might be a bit long at 41in. Paired with the drop down its a bit unresponsive.

However if you are going to push a lot (commute) or simply looking for a board that feels nice. This is the one for you. The deck itself is worth good money. If you have the opportunity down the line, replace the trucks and bearings.

What's to like:

Great for heavy riders

Easy to push and footbreak on

Easy to learn on

Strong and sturdy underfoot

What's Not To Like

Might need upgrades

A bit unresponsive

Quest Super Cruiser

This longboard is Quests double kick offering to the world. The deck is flexible, made from a 7ply mixture of bamboo and maple. This makes the deck more comfortable and absorbs roughness from the road. The deck has a raw finish in some parts adding to the overall aesthetic. (Our full Super Cruiser review)

The longboard is top mounted. This makes it more responsive and ride high. You can really get the most out of your trucks this way. It seems quest design this board to feel like surfing on land. The board features tall 70mm wheels. These wheels are also soft so they provide extra dampening from road roughness.

It has wheel wells and 4mm risers to you don’t get wheelbite. The trucks are 6in wide and will be a bit more responsive. It would be a bit harder to learn on these trucks. This board has the makings of a great cruiser. A flexy deck and big soft wheels make the ride feel smooth. The bearings are abec 7, which are not that great. If you are a beginner, you can always tighten the trucks for more stability. In the end its worth the trouble

What's to like:

Very beautiful deck

Responsive

Surfy feeling from trucks

Wallet friendly

What's Not To Like

Might be a bit long

If you need a better look at this board, check out the video below

Are Quest longboards a great starting place for beginners?

Yes they are. The boards they make are of high quality and perform well. They look amazing too. This is where Quest really sets themselves from other brands (Scsk8, Atom etc.).This company really invest into the styling of the boards. They have boards for all types of people in various colors and graphics. I personally dig the engraving on the California republic board. Not mentioned here are some of the amazing cruisers Quest makes, they are compact and look cool. In conclusion, no other company working in this price range makes boards that look this good.

However, the trucks and wheels aren’t the best. You can upgrade them in future if you must. Though, you get what you pay for. At the prices these boards are going, its worth it. And you don’t need crazy expensive stuff when you start out. You’ll be mostly going slow, cruising and won’t need that much out of your equipment.

Decent Wheels For Cruising

Quest mainly utilises 70mm tall, 51mm wide wheels with their longboards. Their cruisers usually have 65mm or 60mm tall wheels. The larger wheels can roll over any road imperfections and cracks. These wheels fear no pebble.If you are just cruising, the wheels will perform great. They have great traction and prevent you from slipping out during deep turns.They might hold you back if you wanna go do sliding and stuff. If you are interested in an upgrade, check out our guide on sliding wheels.

Trucks – Sort of okay?

Most of the trucks used by Quest are either 7in or 6in aluminium rkp trucks. These are fine for cruising but are a bit on the cheap end of the market. I recommend you switch out a few things in them or replace them all together. This is the weakest part of the setups.
For the trucks, replacing the bushings will do you good. This is like upgrading the suspension in your car and will make them turn smoother and nicer. They will even absorb some road vibration. If you replace the trucks all together it should be ok. Check our guide on the 10 best trucks.

Your Turn!

Looking back at my first board now, it wasn’t the greatest but it did the job and got me started. I now spend all my money on expensive longboard gear haha. Quest longboards are a good place start, the deck alone makes the price worth it. The next step after would be to replace the trucks. Quest is a good brand and you will enjoy riding their boards.

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